Cancer is easier to defeat the earlier it's detected. And while getting a weekly mammogram to catch breast cancer in its earliest stages is impractical, wearing a smart sports bra that's just as effective at early detection isn't. So First Warning Systems' Breast Tissue Screening Bra has the potential to revolutionize screenings.

Using extremely precise sensors, the bra will be able to measure and monitor tiny changes in cell temperature over time caused by new blood vessel growth that's associated with the onset of cancerous tumors. This data is then processed by a piece of proprietary software that uses a custom algorithm to study the temperature changes and look for signs that a tumor is present and growing.

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And while it sounds like a concept that's years away from becoming a reality, the device has already undergone testing for sensitivity and accuracy in three clinical trials with 650 women. Early results show that it's able to detect signs of cancer growth as much as six years before more common imaging systems can. If an upcoming final clinical trial yields similar positive results, the bra could be commercialized as early as next year in Europe, and ready for a US launch in 2014 pending FDA approval. [First Warning Systems via Medgadget via MedCity News]